Fire forces closure of Providence landfill |03 August 2013

The Providence landfill one remained closed yesterday following a fire which broke out in the early hours.

According to reports, the fire started at around 3am yesterday and firefighters were still combating the blaze last yesterday afternoon.
Giant black smoke could also be observed coming from the site.

According to Jones Madeleine, public relations officer of the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency, they are covering the blaze with coral fill to prevent the fire from reigniting.
It is still uncertain as to how the fire started, but since early yesterday morning firemen from the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency and the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority were on site trying to contain the blaze.

The Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency has said that the fire is under control and that the thick smoke noticed since early yesterday morning had subsided but there were still small pockets of blaze to clear.

The strong winds and the size of the landfill, which is approximately 4.5 hectares, made it difficult for the firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
Five fire engines and some 50 fire fighters were on site.
 
Staff of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) and Star Seychelles also helped in the operation.

In the meantime, the LWMA, which is responsible for the landfill, has said that Star has organised a temporary transfer station where waste can be dumped. Clients will be directed accordingly on site and through notices in the local media.